Brentwood Middle seventh-grader Matthew Phillips marks a passage in his English workbook. Common Core standards focus on critical thinking, problem solving and creativity.

Written by

state Sen. Delores Gresham

In Tennessee, only 16 percent of high school graduates are prepared for college.

This is unacceptable. While this is a major concern from an education standpoint, it is even more sobering when I think about the economic future of our state. Without a well-educated workforce, we will not be competitive with other states across our country.

Over the past four years, Tennessee has made dramatic changes to improve public education. These changes are grounded in conservative principles like accountability, high expectations and parent choice. ...